Energy-sharing asymmetries in ionization by positron impact

The triply differential cross section of molecular hydrogen for ionization by 50 eV positrons has been determined, for the first time, for both the ejected electron in coincidence with the remnant ion and for the scattered projectile. Asymmetries in the energy sharing between the two light particles in the final state are observed, with the electron spectrum being shifted to significantly lower (and the scattered positron to correspondingly higher) energies than expected. A similar shape is observed in the case of the ejected electron spectrum from a helium target at the same excess energy.